Women's Golf Holds 5-Stroke Lead

Maria Paola Fiorio shot a career-low 1-under 71 to grab a share of the lead at the Flagler Fall Slam. Photo by Joel Auerbach

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Barry University's Maria Paola Fiorio shot a career-best 1-under 71 Monday in the first round of the Flagler Fall Slam to propel the Buccaneers into a five-stroke lead at the top.

Fiorio, a sophomore from Torino, Italy, shares a one-stroke lead with Armstrong Atlantic's Kiley Mettler, who also put up a 1-under par opening round on the 5,778-yard Marsh Creek Country Club course in the 14-team, 80-play field. Barry sophomore Nicky Ferre shot par, and sits third.

Barry shot 298 as a team, and leads host Flagler by five strokes at 10-over par. Flagler's Marie Santacroce is tied for fourth with Saint Leo's Clare Connolly at 2-over 74.

Fiorio had back-to-back birdies on the 435-yard third and 120-yard fourth, and offset two bogeys to cap her round with a birdie on the par-5, 485-yard 16th. Ferre birdied the 333-yard first, par-4 third and 135-yard 17th, and had three bogeys.

Armstrong is third after shooting 308. Seminole State (Fla.) is fourth at 313, and Saint Leo fifth at 314.

Barry's Francesca Perini had two birdies in shooting a 4-over 76. Nancy Vergara tied for 22nd with seven other golfers at 7-over 79, and Barry teammate Daniela Murray is a stroke back in a tie for 30th.

The Buccaneers will tee off in Tuesday's final round, beginning at 9:30 a.m.